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Pedestrian Fatalities Spike

STATE—The recent death of a 15-year-old Elizabeth girl highlights a 34 percent leap in the number of pedestrian fatalities so far this year in New Jersey, according to a State Police Fatal Accident Statistics report.

The state’s top cop pins the blame for motor vehicle fatalities squarely on drivers, who he says are disregarding safety.

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“The increase in the number of fatal accidents shows that New Jersey motorists are not taking the steps necessary to travel safely throughout the state,” said New Jersey State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes. “There is no other activity in which people make life or death decisions on such a regular basis.”

Just before Labor Day, State Police reported that there were 31 more pedestrian fatalities in 2009 as compared to this same period last year.

There had been a total of 463 motor vehicle fatalities as of Oct. 13, putting the state on target to exceed the number of individuals who lost their lives in New Jersey motor vehicle-related crashes last year.

There have been 36 traffic fatalities in Union County and 33 in Middlesex County so far this year. Ocean County leads by far, with 52 roadway deaths as of this week.